Women in Science & Leadership | Why did Kathleen Goss leave the lab to become a leader?

Kathleen Goss’s plan was to be a cancer biologist for her entire career. Then life happened. Discover how she learned mid-career how to play to her strengths and make a bigger impact.  Goss recently left her 14+year academic career as a cancer biologist to take on the role of Regional Vice President for Cancer Control at the American Cancer Society in Chicago.  From academics to administration, she will cover it all in this conversation with Gotara founder and CEO D Sangeeta. And that includes “ResearcHERS: Women Fighting Cancer” which is a part fundraising campaign, and part movement, under the auspices of the Society. “It empowers women to fundraise in support of women-led cancer research,” Goss says. “It’s near and dear to my heart.” Goss’s father was fatally stricken with cancer when she was a girl.  “He was a scientist, so I think he would have been shocked that I ended up being a scientist,” she says. “But I know he would be incredibly proud of how I’ve gone with my heart and my passion. And I’ve always kept that at the forefront, despite all the challenges along the way.” Learn about the challenges, and her strategies to overcome them, as we trace her career arc that includes working with the University of Chicago’s Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center administrative unit, as well as running her own laboratory at the University of Cincinnati and the University of Chicago, where she studied molecular events that drive breast and colorectal cancer.  If circumstances had been different, could she have stayed in the lab? Where could she best showcase her leadership skills? What does she see now, in hindsight? What sacrifices did she – and perhaps YOU – have to make in your STEM career? One more question: How could you miss this TARATALK?